The 1001st Summer: An Air TV Fanfic
by GaoGaoStegosaurus
Summary: It has been exactly one year since Misuzu Kamio's last summer. What happens when a foreign exchange student comes to the small seaside town? What will she find out, and how will she affect everyone that she encounters? Rated T for drinking alcohol
1. Chapter 1

(Author's note): Hey guys! This is my first fanfic on this website. So, please comment and critique! :) This fanfic is based on Air TV, the anime version, not the movie version. I didn't like the ending, so this is what would happen a year after Misuzu's last summer. Oh, and I don't own Air or its characters! If I did, I would have made Yukito and Misuzu live! Anyways, enjoy my story! :D

The 1001st summer

An Air TV fanfic

Chapter 1: Arrival

Summer. It is the warmest and happiest season of the year for all ages. The cerulean waves crash upon each other in slow laps as they spread across the sandy beach. The cries of seagulls rise and descend over the ocean and small town of Kami. Children laugh and play under the hot sun. Their smiles and giggles grow as they chase each other around the only bus stop in the town. A bus slowly pulls up to the wooden shed and opens its doors. The only passenger to get off was a young girl with an owl feather in her hair carrying a suitcase. As the bus doors close and leave the girl behind in a cloud of exhaust, she stares up at the endless blue sky. Her hand moves her light brown bangs and tries to shield her eyes from the sun. A group of birds tower over her to reach their destination: the ocean. She smiles as the last of them swoops towards the horizon.

She sighs, "I think that this is going to be an interesting summer." From her skirt pocket, she unfolds a scrap of paper. She finishes reading and looks at the empty bench in front of her. As she scans the bus stop curiously, a small boy bumps into her.

"Woah!" The girl exclaims while she regains her footing and adjusts her wide, white hat. The child groans as he stands up to face her. "Hey...Are you alright?"

"Hai! No problem!" The boy grins. "I'm sorry about bumping into you. Are you okay?"

"Yes. Arigato."

"Hey! Ryuuya, come back here! It is your turn."

"Ok, Kanna!" The boy exclaims as he starts to hurry back to his friend.

"Oh! Wait!" The girl yells back at him. He turns around to the visitor. She asks him, "Do you know how to reach this address?" She hands him the piece of paper.

The boy squints at the tiny scrawled letters and answers, "Oh. Yeah. I know where she lives. We can take you to Granny's!" He motions to his friend, a blue-haired girl about his age, and whispers into her ear. The girl giggles, grabs his hand, and they both start running down the road.

On a dusty road, cicadas were buzzing outside a tiny house. A woman with dark pink hair rests on her porch with a piece of grass in her mouth. It would twitch every time she muttered something in her sleep.

"Neh…No, Misuzu. Don't go too far. You'll fall into the pool." She mumbles. The light sound of footsteps and rickety wheels wakes her up. Lazily, she moves her head to face the young stranger at her gatepost. "Ugh…whatcha want? If you are selling anything, I ain't buying. So, beat it." She turns her head away and tries to go back to her nap.

The girl states nervously, "Um. I'm not selling anything. I'm looking for a woman named Haruko Kamio. Do you know where she lives?"

"Yeah. Again, whatcha want?"

"Well, I'm Megan Flynn. I am the foreign exchange student that is supposed to be living with you over the summer."

"What?" Haruko jumps and falls off the porch in surprise.

Megan rushes up to her, "Oh my gosh! Are you alright?" She helps Haruko to stand up.

"Ugh! Yeah, I'm fine," groans Haruko, "It's just that I didn't know that you would be coming today."

"I'm sorry! I decided to come a day earlier to unpack and see the town. I tried calling earlier, but no one answered." Megan fiddles with a strand of her hair.

"It's okay. Now, let's go!" Haruko smiles as she walks to the entrance of her home.

High above the two females, a large black crow observes them. It had been a long time since he had last visited the place. He recognizes the fiery older woman. When he sees the younger of the two, he almost has a heart attack.

"Is it really? Could it be Misuzu?" he thinks to himself and flies lower to them. But, he sadly discovers that he was mistaken. Still, he finally lands inside the living room of Haruko's house. Haruko and Megan enter the room while the crow stares at them expectantly.

"Eh? Is that a crow?" Megan questions.

Haruko stares at the bird and wonders, "Hm…maybe it's Sora…"

Megan looks at Haruko with a puzzled expression.

Haruko explains, "Sora is a tamed crow that stops by every now and then. Though, I have to admit, I haven't seen him for a couple of months." She glances at the crow, "If you are Sora, then hop up two paces."

The crow does exactly what Haruko asks, but she isn't impressed. She just stares at him and continues the tour of her house with Megan. "I'm surprised you didn't freak out when you saw him in the living room."

"Oh! Well, I have always been attached to birds," Megan says, "It really doesn't bother me to see him."

The last room that Haruko shows her is a small bedroom. "This is where you will be sleeping." Megan walks into the room as her sky blue eyes curiously inspect it. There are stuffed dinosaurs scattered on the floor and bed. A small desk with a lamp for studying and a glass table are also in the room. The room even has a window beside the bed that overlooks the wonderful summer day.

"There are clothes in the closet," Haruko interrupts Megan's wandering thoughts, "I think that they'll fit you."

"Yes, thank you ma'am."

Haruko chuckles, "Please just call me Haruko. I'm not that old!" She looks around the room with a sad gentleness, "I hope this room is good enough for you…it's been empty for so long, so it would be nice if someone stayed in here for a bit." And with that, Haruko leaves Megan to unpack her things by herself.

She didn't bring a lot of things with her, so it didn't take long to finish. As she was putting her school supplies in the desk, she notices a small book in one of the drawers. On the cover is a girl with wings. Megan opens it and discovers that it is a diary written by someone named Misuzu.

"I shouldn't be reading this," she thinks, "It isn't right to read anyone's diary."

"Oy! Megan! Do you want me to show you around the town?" Haruko calls out from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Megan puts the diary on top of the desk. "Maybe I can give it back to Haruko-san when we return."

The ladies go out and Haruko shows her the school that she will be attending, the clinic, the grocery store (where Haruko bought some takeout sushi), and the sea wall.

"Hey! Let's go sit up there and relax before we head back. Okay, Megan?"

"Ok!"

By the seawall, there is a drug store with a drink machine. Haruko stares and gives a wistful smile. She turns back, "I'm going to get us something to drink. Do you want one?"

"Sure." Megan catches up to Haruko and picks a flavor. Haruko hands her the juice box and watches as she takes her first sip.

"Mmm!"

Haruko nearly spits out her drink. "Nani? You actually like that stuff?"

Megan nods, "It is a bit strong, but it is very sweet." She continues enjoying her weird juice.

Haruko laughs silently to herself, "Hah. Just like her."

They end up sitting on the sea wall gazing at the orange-yellow water at dusk. When they finish their drinks, Haruko starts to ask Megan about herself.

"Your Japanese is good. How'd you learn to speak so well?"

"Arigato. I had a boyfriend from Hokkaido and he taught me."

"Oh, I see. So, what brings you here?"

Megan smiles, "Well, I was accepted to a summer scholars program, and we could travel abroad to take summer classes before we go to college. My mom didn't want me to leave the States, but my dad reassured her that I would be alright. Still, I couldn't go to Tokyo like I had wanted, and they decided to send me to a small town instead."

"Wow! I knew I would be getting a teenager, but I didn't think you would be so smart!"

Megan blushes and waves her hand in front of her face to dismiss the comment. "Um...Thank you, but really, I'm not a genius, and I won't be taking any difficult courses! Just the basics and a Japanese speaking class to improve my speech!"

Haruko gives her a teasing smile and stretches her arms. "Well, I think that that is enough sightseeing for one day. Now, let's go home and eat!"

Megan and Haruko eat in the living room, while Haruko informs her of the town and how to keep out of trouble. As they were cleaning up, Megan leaves the room to get the diary.

She places it on the table and slides it towards Haruko. "Um…while I was unpacking, I found this diary in the desk."

Haruko glances at her with a peculiar glare.

"D-Don't worry! I didn't read it! I don't think that it is right to invade people's personal lives. I just saw that it belonged to someone named Misuzu and thought that you would want to keep this in a safe place."

Haruko smiles sadly when she hears the name "Misuzu" and hands the diary back to Megan. "Arigato, but please, just keep it in the bedroom. It is where it belongs."

"Alright," Megan pauses, "But, if you don't mind me asking, who is Misuzu?"

Haruko puts her hands in her lap, "Misuzu…she was the girl who used to live in this house with me…she died last year."

Megan sees how hard Haruko is trying not to look upset, so she decides not to bring up anything more about Misuzu.

"Well, enough sad talk!" Haruko yells, "There are some rules that I need to lay down. First, you don't call me ma'am! And second," she pulls out a large bottle of sake, "you drink with me!"

"N-no thank you! I don't drink! Thank you for showing me around town. Goodnight!" Megan gets up from the table and walks to her new bed. She changes into her pajamas, pulls her mid-back length light brown hair into a pony, and dreams about how her first day of school will go tomorrow.

Outside under the starry sky, Sora sat guarding and blaming himself for his failure…of not protecting "her"…the girl in the sky. He gazes at the girl sleeping soundly on Misuzu's bed and promises to keep the stranger safe. With a flap of his wings, he flutters through the window and rests himself on the bed. This was the beginning of a new summer.

(So, what did you guys think? Hopefully, the characters don't sound OOC. If anyone could give me some advice, that would be very helpful to this first timer! Thanks for reading my story! Quick question: If a story contains alcohol use, is it rated T or K+?)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Whoot! Chapter 2! This one is longer than Chapter 1, and it is where Megan gets to meet everyone. :) Enjoy! Don't forget to review at the end!

Chapter 2: Friends

_Outside under the starry sky, Sora sat guarding and blaming himself for his failure…of not protecting "her"…the girl in the sky. He gazes at the girl sleeping soundly on Misuzu's bed and promises to keep the stranger safe. With a flap of his wings, he flutters through the window and rests himself on the bed. This was the beginning of a new summer._

Sunlight streams through the curtains and onto Megan's sleeping face. Her face scrunches up and her eyes blink rapidly to brush away the dust from the previous night. Finally, she opens her sky blue eyes and finds herself face to face with-

"AHHHHHHH!" She screams so loudly that she frightens her "morning greeter." He stumbles around the room in a panicked manner. "Oh, Sora! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Megan clutches her chest and takes deep breaths to calm herself down.

Haruko sprints into the bedroom. "What's wrong? Is there a burglar? A pedophile?" When she is done scanning the room, she notices the black crow convulsing in the corner.

Megan shakes her head, "No. It was just Sora. He woke me up surprisingly." Then, she starts to giggle.

The older woman stares peculiarly at her.

"Were you going to defeat the "intruder" with a frying pan?"

Haruko notices the object in her hand and grins. "Hey! Don't underestimate the power of frying pans missy!" She positions herself into a fighting stance and swings the pan around. "Hiya!" This causes the bird to get scared again, and he flaps out of the room. The two females watch as Sora leaves and burst out laughing.

"Well, I think that is enough excitement for one morning," Haruko says, "Now, let's go eat breakfast!"

"Breakfast? Isn't it a little early for that?"

"No. It is 7:00."

Megan jumps out of bed. "7:00? Oh my goodness! I need to get ready for school!" The door to her closet slides open and she quickly reaches for her school uniform. Haruko walks back into the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast. Megan adjusts the strings in the back of the black dress and races out of the bedroom. Sora and Haruko are sitting at the table. Megan grabs a piece of buttered toast and quenches her orange juice. "Thanks for the food. I'm going now!" She grabs her shoes, squeezes her feet in, and heads out the door. "Hopefully, I remember where I am supposed to go."

Not even two steps out the door, Haruko comes running up to her. "Megan, wait! I have something that might help!" She hands her a folded piece of paper. "Here's a map of the town if you get lost."

"Arigato, Haruko-san!" Megan sprints down the road, "Wish me luck!" When she is away from the house, she unfolds the slip. "Nani?" There are doodles that look like something a child might draw. Random dinosaurs and chibis adorn the page. A tiny anime sweat drop falls down her head. "H-how is this supposed to help me, Haruko-san?" She shoves the map into her pocket; she decides to find the school on her own.

"Ugh! I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. I'm still in the neighborhood!" Megan wipes her brow and stares at her watch, "Classes start in ten minutes and I'm still lost!" Just when she is about to head back to Haruko's house for better directions, she spots a girl wearing the same uniform as her. "Ohaiyo!" The girl turns around and bows.

"Good morning." She stops to allow Megan to catch up to her.

"Um…would it be alright if I follow you to the school?"

"I don't mind." The girl politely smiles at Megan's exasperated face.

"Domo arigato! My name is Megan Flynn. What is yours?"

"Minagi Tohno, but please, I would prefer if you address me as Tohno."

"Hai," The two girls walk in sync towards the school. "So, are you here for clubs or remedial school, or…?"

"I'm here for extra summer courses."

Megan smiles, "Me too!" She digs into her dress pocket and pulls out her class schedule. "Would you please tell me where this room is?"

Minagi glances briefly at the list and points to a room on the second floor. The first bell rings to remind the girls that school is about to start. Megan thanks her and sprints up the stairs to her homeroom.

Before the last gong of the tardy bell rings, Megan enters the classroom. The sensei notices her and motions for her to the front.

"Class, we have a new student today. She is visiting us on a summer scholars program from the United States. Please let her introduce herself."

Megan gives a small bow before starting her speech. "Arigato, sensei. My name is Megan Flynn, and as previously stated, I am traveling from the U.S. on a study program. I am very pleased to meet all of you, and I will try my best in my studies." After giving another bow, she smiles at her new classmates. The teacher places her near the front on the windowed side of the room.

Halfway through the day, another bell rings to signalize the lunch break period. The sensei goes to the teacher's lounge to eat and leaves the students to themselves. Some of the kids start moving the desks to form circles by their friends; other students leave the classroom to go meet up with their friends in other classes. Megan pulls out her boxed lunch that Haruko had bought.

"I wonder who I should eat lunch with," she thinks to herself and twirls the feather in her hair, "It looks like everyone has their own groups and friends. Oh! I know! I could go find Tohno-san and ask if she'll eat lunch with me." She picks up her lunch and heads out the door.

Finally, she is standing in the courtyard looking at the school building. "Uhh…" The sun beats down upon her face as she glares at all the windows. "This is hopeless. I forgot to ask Tohno-san what classroom she has. And even if she did tell me, I still wouldn't know where to find it. It looks like I have gotten myself lost again!" She sighs in defeat and goes to sit at one of the benches. "It looks like I am alone again. This reminds me of the time with Ken-"She blushes and shakes her head vigorously.

Suddenly, something rustles in the bushes behind her. Megan turns around and stares at them when something white bounces at her.

"Ahhhh!" She shrieks and covers her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees that the white thing is just a fluffy puppy. She grins embarrassedly, "Hey, little guy. Are you lost?"

The dog wags his tail, "Piko."

"Aww! You are so cute!"

Just as she is about to pet him, the puppy grabs the knot on her box lunch and hops off the bench.

"What?" Megan exclaims in surprise as she watches the dog run off with her lunch. She chases after him and points her chopsticks at the canine, "Get back here, you dumb dog! That's my lunch!"

The dog runs into the school building; Megan squeezes herself past students chatting in the halls. "Come back!" The fluffy white dog leads her up many levels of stairs until they reach a dead end. Megan corners the puppy, "There's nowhere else to run, dog. Now, give me back my lunch and no one gets hurt." She lunges at the box, but trips on one of the steps. Gracefully, the dog leaps back and opens a door to the roof of the school. Megan falls flat on her face into the open area. As she rubs her face in pain, a small voice calls out to her.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Megan looks up to see a girl with short blue hair staring at her worriedly. She gets up and brushes the dirt off herself.

She answers, "Nothing too serious. Thanks." Then, she finds the dog with her box lunch hiding behind the other girl. Megan glares at him; the other girl notices.

"Oh! Potato," she turns back towards Megan, "Is this your lunch?" She snatches it from him, hands it to Megan, and picks up the dog. "Now, why would you steal her lunch, Potato? That is not nice!"

Megan looks at her, "So, I'm assuming that this is your dog?"

The blue-haired girl answers, "I guess you could say that. Potato is just a neighborhood stray puppy-dog, but I take care of him the most." She went back to scolding the dog, "Now, listen, Potato. Just because I forgot my lunch, doesn't mean that you go steal another person's lunch!" Then, she gives the dog a light hit on the head. Megan looks at the girl, then at her lunch box.

"Hey, if you don't mind and if your dog doesn't try to steal anymore, I can share my lunch with you."

The two girls sit together on a bench and begin to eat, while Potato sits sulking under the bench. "My name is Kano by the way, Kano Kirishima. It is nice to meet you, Megan!" Kano smiled at her.

Megan almost spits out her octopus shaped sausage. "How do you know my name?"

Kano laughs loudly, "I'm in your homeroom, silly! Besides, you sit right by me!"

A blush slowly creeps up on Megan's face. "I'm so sorry! I'm not really good at remembering people."

"It's okay," she replies as she shakes her head, "And, it is your first day here!" Three loud rings interrupt the girls' talk. "Well, it looks like I have to go to my club now. What about you?"

"I have to take my last two classes."

Kano waves, "Well, it was nice meeting you! We should have lunch again sometime!" And with that, the two girls depart onto their separate ways. One of them with a sad, hungry puppy, and the other with another new friend.

School ends for the day, and Megan packs up her supplies. "It looks like I have a lot of homework for tonight." She grabs her book bag and leaves the school building. Outside, someone is waiting for her.

"Hm? Sora, is that you?" A large black crow stands by the school entrance. He cocks his head to one side curiously. Then, he flaps his wings twice and plants himself on her shoulder. She giggles, "I guess it is you." She strokes a couple of his feathers, "Thanks for coming to pick me up. Now, do you know the way to Haruko-san's house?" Surprisingly, Sora lifts his right wing and points in the direction where they need to go. Megan dismisses the thought that he could actually understand her and heads in that direction. At last, they arrive at the Kamio's place. "I'm home."

Haruko was laying in the living room watching television. "Welcome back. How was your first day of school?"

"It was…interesting."

"Oh, no. Tell me what happened."

Megan takes her shoes off before replying. "Well, I met up with a girl named Minagi Tohno who helped me find the way to school. Then, at lunch, a small dog stole my food and I had to chase him all the way to the roof!" Megan sighs in exasperation. "But, I guess it wasn't so bad, because another girl, Kano Kirishima, gave me my lunch back. Then, I shared it with her, and we got to talk for a bit."

"Ah! It sounds like you had a little adventure today," Haruko grins, "And, you made yourself some new friends."

"Yes. It was good." Megan returned the same grin. "I'll go start on my homework. Then, I can make us some dinner."

"No way! As long as you are in this house, I am managing all meals!" Haruko gets up and pushes Megan to her bedroom. "Now, go work, my little scholar student!"

"Ok! Ok!" Megan giggles at the woman's gestures. When she is in her room, she thinks how motherly Haruko is acting.

After a couple of hours on her homework, she stretches her fingers and back. "Done!" Sora squawks and jumps onto her desk. "Ok, boy. Do you want to play?" She goes through the room to find something to amuse herself with. On top of the glass table is a deck of cards with dinosaurs on the front. "This Misuzu girl must have really liked dinosaurs." After saying her name, Megan gives a slight frown as she remembers what happened last night. "I wonder if Misuzu was Haruko-san's daughter." She starts to shuffle the cards while she thinks. "Poor Haruko-san. She must have been heartbroken when Misuzu died." She separates the cards into separate rows. "Is Haruko-san all alone in the world? If I died, Mom and Dad would be devastated. But, Kenichi…" Megan gasps and drops the rest of the cards. Sora jumps and flaps his wings franticly. A light knock from her door brings her back to reality.

"Dinner is ready. Are you done with your homework?" Haruko calls.

"Yes ma'a-I mean, Haruko-san."

The women and bird sit in the living room again to eat dinner. After they say thanks for the food, Megan picks up a noodle and brings it to her mouth.

"Um!" She covers her mouth. "What is this?" She thinks.

"Do you like it? It is Hiyashi chukka noodles. It is a very popular summer dish here in Japan."

"R-really?" Megan gulps. "Did you buy this?"

Haruko laughs, "Nah. I decided to make dinner tonight. So, what do you think?"

Sweat pours down Megan's face as her mouth stutters. "Uh…um…It has a very unique flavor."

The pink haired lady chuckles and displays a sad smile, "Yeah. I know I'm not a good cook, so you don't have to lie."

"It isn't horrible! I think that you just need to add more toppings other than cucumbers and white sesame seeds. Also, go easy on the mustard."

"Well, maybe I should let you in the kitchen more often. But, please let me make breakfast."

"It's a deal." After that, Haruko tells Megan about her day at work.

"Where do you work, Haruko-san?"

"At a day care center. I like being around children."

"Have you always worked there?"

Haruko sighs, "No. I started working there a year ago. Before, I had multiple jobs. I wasn't highly educated, so I would take what I could get. So, if you don't want to be a bum like me, stay in school!" Loud and somewhat pitiful cackles escape the older woman's lips.

"Just because I obtain a higher education than you doesn't mean I'm a better person than you." Megan stares to get her message through. "My parents taught me to not criticize others based on talents and to always be humble."

"Hm. Sounds like you have some pretty great parents then."

The 16-year old looks at her nearly empty plate and makes her way to the trash can. She gives Haruko a tired smile, says goodnight, and heads to bed. Sora was at her heels the whole time. Haruko stares at the pair and whispers quietly. "Doesn't that make me think of the good old days…ne, Misuzu?"


	3. Chapter 2 and a half Haruko one shot

Author's note: I really like Haruko's character, and I thought that she needs more attention! :) As always, review please!

Chapter 2.5: Tears

A segment on Haruko

_Haruko stares at the pair and whispers quietly. "Doesn't that make me think of the good old days…ne, Misuzu?" _

The dark pink haired woman is alone in her living room. The only noises that she hears are the cicadas and the occasional twinkling of the stegosaurus wind chimes. Instinctively, she crawls toward the kitchen and opens the bottom cabinet. Her hand reaches blindly and curls around the slender, cool neck of the sake bottle. She brings the bottle to her cheek and presses the glass to her skin. Then, she goes back into the living room to pour herself a drink…maybe two.

The cork is pulled off, not with an opener, but with Haruko's own teeth. The clear liquid sparkles as it hits the glass cup. Haruko grins as she brings it to her lips. "Misuzu…" Soon, her glass is empty. She pours more sake. Gulp, gulp, gulp. More, more, more. By her sixth, or is it her seventh, drink, she notices tiny drops falling into her glass. "Huh? I thought I stopped pouring." She realizes that the droplets aren't from the bottle but from her eyes. Haruko touches her cheek and chuckles, "Heh, heh. I thought that I had cried all my tears away…Heh, heh, heh." She laughed some more. Her laughter grew louder and louder until it turned into sobbing.

Haruko, a grown woman, was bawling her eyes out. She drops her drink; the glass shatters everywhere, but she doesn't notice. In her state, she even spills the sake bottle. Her hands cover her face in embarrassment and in sadness. "Misuzu…Misuzu…I thought that I had gotten over your death. I was sure I was strong enough to never remember all the sad times that we had." She hugs herself and lies across the floor whispering all the things that she had regretted. "Maybe I shouldn't have taken that kid in…she keeps reminding me of you…Misuzu." The girl was the same age that Misuzu would have been if she was alive, and Sora was attached at the hip to both girls. Heck, they both even like that weird juice. Thinking of the weird juice made Haruko giggle.

"Oh…Misuzu… you had made me so happy." Haruko dries her eyes, stands up and avoids the broken glass shards, and goes back to the kitchen. She returns with a broom, a dust pan, and a mop, and begins cleaning up the mess.

When she finishes, she gazes at the stegosaurus wind chimes and roars. "Maybe it isn't so bad that I remember everything about us. I just have to always remember the good times that we had, so I won't turn into a bitter old woman. Ne, Misuzu?" Haruko turns off the light and heads to bed for a good night's rest.


	4. Chapter 3

Author's note: Chapter 3 focuses on Megan and a little bit from her past. Slight Sora/Yukito/OC. Don't worry! I will try to put more Sora/Yukito/Misuzu. Please review at the end! :)

Chapter 3: Feather

_When she finishes, she gazes at the stegosaurus wind chimes and roars. "Maybe it isn't so bad that I remember everything about us. I just have to always remember the good times that we had, so I won't turn into a bitter old woman. Ne, Misuzu?" Haruko turns off the light and heads to bed for a good night's rest._

Megan and Haruko were eating breakfast in the kitchen while Sora sat on Megan's lap. A long yawn escapes from her mouth.

"That's the third one kid."

"I'm sorry. I'm usually a morning person." She rubs the sleep away from her eyes.

"It might be the time difference," Haruko munches on some more rice. Then, she slams her chopsticks on the table, "You know what you need? An alarm clock!"

The young girl stares sleepily at her, "But, Haruko-san. I don't have enough money for one."

"Who said that you were buying it? Leave it to me; I will buy one."

Megan gasps, "Oh, no! Please don't! I don't want you wasting your money on me!"

Haruko grabs their dirty dishes, "It is no problem. Besides, if I don't buy you a new alarm clock, I'd have more money for sake. Which is something that I need to stop buying." She gives Megan a mischievous grin. "Now, you better go or you'll be late for school."

After grabbing her school bag and adjusting the feather in her hair, Megan walks out the door and heads down the street. Sora follows her and lands on her shoulder. She pets the bird and places him on the ground. "I can't bring you to school, Sora." The bird doesn't obey and returns back on her shoulder. Megan sighs in defeat and lets the crow stay there.

Minagi meets Megan at the end of her street and both girls walk to school together. Upon arriving at the building, several students are already entering their classrooms. Minagi went ahead to her classroom, while the other girl says goodbye to Sora. "I can't bring you inside, Sora. So, fly back home to Haruko-san." The bird cocks his head to the side confused. Megan mentally slaps her forehead. "You know, fly? Flap your wings?" She bends her elbows and puts her hands in her armpits to communicate. Sora just caws at her. Now, she literally slaps herself. Megan drops her bag and lunch and walks in front of Sora. She bends at her waist and stretches both arms behind her back. "Like this," she exclaims, "Flap, flap!" Megan hops forward two steps.

Three girls walking around school notice the thin brunette teaching the crow. "Hey, is that the transfer student?" one of them asks.

"Uh-huh," replies another, "I heard that she was here on a scholars program…she is supposed to be really smart."

"And now she is talking to birds," says the last girl. After that statement, they hear Megan cawing at the crow. Three anime sweat drops form on the girls.

"She is so weird," a blue haired girl with glasses remarks.

"Yeah," a dark haired girl agrees, "Did you see what happened yesterday with that dog?"

"I bet that she is even weirder than that Misuzu girl," retorts an auburn haired girl. Her two friends join with her cruel laughter as they head to class. Megan stops moving when the echo of their teasing reaches her. She fixes the white feather in her hair, picks up her things, and sadly leaves the crow behind.

Kano and Megan eat lunch again on top of the school building. While she is eating and trying to stop Potato from eating her lunch, a few black feathers fall on her lunch box. Megan gazes up at the sky and catches a glimpse of Sora gliding down towards her. He regains his rightful place on her shoulder.

"Wow!" Kano exclaims, "It's that crow again! I haven't seen him in a while."

Megan's eyes widen, "Wait! You know Sora?"

"Sora…," Kano whispers, "That name suits him. But, no, I don't know him personally. I have just seen him around."

Once Potato spots Sora, he begins to sniff him. Sora squawks and tries to get away from the fluffy puppy. The two animals chase each other around the roof. The girls giggle at their pets.

"Well, it looks like you two are having fun."

Kano and Megan turn their eyes towards another girl.

"Oh, hey Tohno-san!" Megan waves the girl over to the bench where they were sitting. Minagi places her boxed lunch on her lap and the three girls share their meals with one another. The dog and crow finally stop chasing each other and pant by their owners.

"By the way, Megan, I have been wondering why you wear that feather in your hair."

Minagi nods her head, "I have been pondering about that also."

Megan glances at both the girls and strokes her feather embarrassedly. "Well, it is kind of a long story."

Then, the three girls from earlier open the roof door and smirk at the group. "Hey, look at that you guys. The three biggest misfits of the whole school all eating together!"

The dark haired girl laughs and points at Potato and Sora, "And look at their weird pets!"

"Just ignore them," Kano whispers, "They always pick on us."

The auburn girl with the basketball interrupts her, "Oy! Kirishima! Where's that bandana that you always wore? Got tired of dressing like a clown?"

Kano pouts while the girl with the glasses moves towards Minagi. "So, Tohno, I guess you know who you are sitting by, ne? She is from the United States and speaks fluent Japanese! Heck, I bet that she is even smarter than you, the class president!" Minagi glances down at her lap and folds her hands together.

Megan speaks up, "Hey, leave us alone. We are trying to enjoy our meals in peace. And we don't want any problems disturbing us!"

"Problems? I'll tell you what the problem is," the leader yells, "A Yankee who talks to birds and tries to act like them. She even thinks she is a bird!" The girl tugs at the feather in Megan's hair as she burst out laughing. The other two girls' cackles match hers. Then, Sora jumps off the ground and pecks the jock in her eye. "Owww!" She backs up in pain while her minions stare at her in shock. When the girl is done massaging her wound, she throws the basketball at Megan, but instead, it lands on their lunches. Rice, sausage, fish, and other toppings scatter on the ground. "Come on girls. Let's go!"

"Enjoy eating your lunch in the dirt, losers!" shrieks the dark haired girl as they all dash away laughing.

"Well, that was interesting." Minagi replies as she wipes her dress.

Kano picks some plums off her shirt, "Yeah. I don't know why those girls pick on us. But, they aren't worth getting upset over. Are you okay, Megan?"

Megan's light brown bangs cover her face as she gets up, "I have to go now. I need to go to my class."

"But the bell hasn't rung yet!" Megan didn't hear that last bit, because she was already off the roof.

In the girls' bathroom, she splashes cold water on her face repeatedly. She takes a quick glance in the mirror before grabbing some paper napkins.

"Just calm down, Megan. It is nothing to get upset about." She takes a couple of deep breaths to soothe her heart. "They are just a couple of girls that don't know anything about you. They don't know-"A flashback creeps its way out of the dust of forgetfulness. Similar scenarios play in her mind. Children in circles laughing, pointing, and tormenting her. Another cold spray of water drowns her face. She grabs more napkins and locks herself in the bathroom stall. Her hands clutch fistfuls of hair as she tries to erase the painful memories from surfacing. She squeezes her eyes shut to stop the tears from flowing. Biting her lips, she doesn't want her cries to be heard. "I have to be strong. I have to-"

"Caw!"

Megan opens her tear filled sky blue eyes. Again, another caw echoes in the bathroom. Shaking, she opens the stall and searches to find where the sounds are coming from. A few raps on the window above her finally show her. "Sora," Megan smiles happily, "How did you find me here?" The black crow still taps on the window and caws again. The girl stretches on her tiptoes and opens the window pane. Sora swoops down to her open hands. "You know, you are a very naughty boy. You shouldn't be in the girls' bathroom." Megan giggles while he flaps in protest. Then, she displays another frown. The bird's head leans to the side as if wondering what is wrong. "Oh, Sora," Megan gasps as she falls to the floor. The tears come pouring down again. He flaps around her face to find out why she is crying. "No. I mustn't cry. Stop it, Megan! Good girls don't cry. Good girls don't get upset. You have to be good. You have to be good." She keeps repeating the words until the bell rings. Then, she wipes her tear stained face and heads off to class. Sora caws sadly and flies out the window.

School ends for the day and the crow is waiting in the same spot as yesterday. Megan's face still has the same frown as before when she crouches down to greet him. "Hey, Sora. Thanks for waiting for me again." She gets up and exits the school with Sora on her back. They walk for hours it seems. Megan's feet drag slowly with each step. Then, she stops in place. "You know, Sora, there was this place that Haruko-san showed me when I first came that I want to see again."

"Creak, creak" Each motion on the swing set uttered a low groan. Megan rocks herself steadily on the swing while Sora hangs on the other seat. It is already dusk, but it doesn't look like the girl knows. "I know I shouldn't let what those girls said bother me, Sora, but it does. Words hurt." Her feet stop the swing. "For as long as I can remember, I have always been picked on. You think that the teasing would stop or come less often as I got older, but it hasn't." She faces the bird with a sad smile. "You know, Sora, I used to have a bird like you. Well, he wasn't exactly like you; he was an owl. Even so, he was the first pet that I had owned." Megan closes her eyes as she drifts back into nostalgia. "I was only six at the time. My mother didn't care for animals, and my father was always working, so I didn't have any pets. One day when I was playing in our yard, a baby owl fell into my sandbox. It had a broken wing. I looked around and tried to find its nest, but there were none at my house. So, I placed him in my shoebox and tended to his injury. I fed him, washed him, and gave him a name. His name was Shikoba, and he was a Barn Owl. When my parents arrived home from work, my mother practically fainted. But, Dad thought that it would be good for me to learn some responsibility, so he allowed me to keep it. They bought me a bird cage, some feed, and rats. Mom wasn't happy with that one either."

Megan chuckles at the memory. "Over time, Shikoba got bigger and stronger. His wing had finally healed, and he trusted me enough to take care of him. I trained him to fly and return to me. Though, my parents always told me to keep him in the cage, but Shikoba hated being locked up." Her eyes open slowly and sadly, "One day, I was leaving the house to go to school. Shikoba looked so gloomy all alone in that prison. So, I unlocked the hatch to set him free. I knew that he would always come back to me. When I got back to the house, the cage was still empty. I waited a whole day before begging my parents to help me look for him. We did finally find him. He was laying in our neighbor's yard. It seems like their cat had gotten a hold of him." A grim smile tugs at the ends of her mouth. "I cried for days on end. When my parents told me to go clean out his cage, I came across something." Now, she tugs at the object in her hair. "It was a pure white feather. I believed that it must have been a goodbye present from Shikoba, and I have worn it ever since. Kids have always picked on me because of it. And it took a while for my mom to get used to it, but I can't get rid of it. It contains all sorts of memories."

Finally, she gets off the swing and stares at the starry sky. "It's late, and Haruko-san is probably worried about us." Sora flies and rests on her shoulder as they head back to the house.

When they open the front door, they hear Haruko desperately calling on the phone. "What do you mean she already left the school? She isn't here! I'm telling you that she is lost and there's no way that she'll find this place on her own. She's-"

"I'm home."

Haruko stops mid-sentence and turns to look at the girl and the crow. She stares at the telephone, apologizes, and hangs up in embarrassment.

"Now, where were you, young lady? I was worried sick!"

Megan chuckles, "I could tell."

"This isn't funny. You could have been hurt or something!"

She goes up to the woman and gives her a big hug. "I know. I'm sorry. I promise I won't stay out late again."

Haruko was speechless for a moment. Then, she returns the hug and forgives her. "What's wrong? Your eyes are red."

The young girl touches her face and tries to cover up her crimson-rimmed eyes, but Haruko can tell that she has been crying. She goes into the kitchen and brings out three bowls of ramen. Halfway through her second one, Megan confesses to what happened at school.

"Girls. Haven't changed since I was in school." She pats Megan's hand in a reassured manner, "It'll be alright. Tomorrow's a brand new day."

Megan gives her a half-hearted smile.

"And if they do cause you more trouble," Haruko evilly grins, "Just leave that to me!" Her arm displays a gang symbol and she pulls out a bat with a curse written in black ink.

"N-no! We don't need to get violent here, Haruko-san!"

Sora stares at the two women interacting.

"When I saw her crying, "he thinks, "I didn't want her to be upset. I wanted to see her smile again." The bird turns his attention to Megan. "I wished for her life to be filled with happy memories. Last time, I didn't save "her". But, I swear that this time is going to be different." With a flutter of his wings, he lands on the girl's shoulder. She leans into him and smiles as she strokes his chin. "I promise to always be by your side."

(Phew! That's over. I hope that it wasn't too bad. Oh, and those three girl bullies? They are the same girls in the movie. We will be seeing them again. I enjoyed writing about them, and I want to give them more life in another chapter. :))


End file.
